Chance Me For Ivies + MIT (Please!)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! This post is going to be extremely long, but I was wondering if anyone could provide me with insight on the admissions process or set my expectations properly. Should I be scared, or excited? Am I right in applying early to Harvard? Where do I have a shot?

As always, thank you for your time! :slight_smile:

Objective:

ACT (breakdown): 36 (superscored)- 36E, 35R, 35S, 36M => Essay: 10
SAT II: 800 Math II, 800 Bio E
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.8
Weighted GPA: 4.2
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): No rank, but approximately top 5%
APs:
Sophomore - World History (5), Environmental Science (4), Computer Science A
Junior - Calculus BC (4) | AB (5), Statistics (5), Language & Comp. (5), Biology (4), Psychology (4), Human Geography (4), Physics 1

Senior Year Course Load:

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
President’s Volunteer Service Award | Gold
Massachusetts All-State Orchestra | Violin
2018 Massachusetts Rowing State Champions | Men’s 4+
National AP Scholar
AIME Qualification | Score: 4 (AMC 10: 125, AMC 12: 115)

Subjective:

Extracurriculars:
Lab I work in - Conducted and submitted research on drug treatments to slow sickle cell anemia, with academic publication and review in progress (Blood Journal)
Non-profit I work for - Co-led a design team to enhance a public space for MIT known as Osborn Triangle. Installation completion estimated in August 2019
Regional science festival- Set-up over one hundred STEM education events across Cambridge, with over thirty thousand participants annually
Violin/Viola(Concertmaster, Elected class officer) - Soloed at Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium), principle of highest-tier ensemble, 2018 [School] Outstanding Leadership Award in Music
Varsity Rowing (Bow seat)- Won gold in men’s 4+ at 8th Annual New England High School Regional Championship and silver in men’s 4+ at 2017 MPSRA Fall State Championship
Chess Team (Co-Founder) - Led [School]'s first-ever competitive chess team to undefeated season as top seed player. Grew the team to 30+ members, the most popular co-curricular
Math Team (Four-Year Captain)- Led team to second in divisionals as four-year captain and lead scorer, highest individual score in the league since freshman year
Robotics Team (Finance Manager)- Raised over $50,000 for the 2017-2018 season with eight local sponsors; money went towards better tools, robots, and funding for Nationals
Local language School - Taught grades 6-8 mathematics, advanced physics for grades 9-10, general biology for grades 9-10, an advanced chess course, and violin for beginners
[Town name] Wedding Quartet (First violinist)- Co-founded a not-for-profit string quartet where we performed at wedding ceremonies, all proceeds were donated to Children’s Sickle Cell Foundation

Teacher recommendations:

Biology teacher - She loves me, and I am doing an independent project with her to build food computers. She does many recs, and hopefully won’t rush mine.

World history teacher - I’ve had this teacher for two years, and he has watched me grow to enjoy humanities (as I am a STEM person). He doesn’t get many recs, and so I am hoping he will spend time on mine.

Outside recommender - This recommender works for MIT, and she adores me. I have interned under her for over three years, and each year has been an absolute blessing. She is the kindest soul, and I know that she will write an absolutely glowing recommendation (though I’m not sure if universities take outside recommenders highly into consideration?).

Essays: Personal statement is 9.5/10, extremely personal. Supplements are more light-hearted, 8/10

Financial Aid: Probably not, unless it is some form of merit aid
Intended Major: I’m not sure, I am in between math, biology, and maybe even music
State (if domestic applicant): MA
School Type: Public, 300 students in my class
Ethnicity: Chinese
Gender: M
Income Bracket: Upper
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Nope :slight_smile:

I will be applying early to Harvard and UMasses early, and I will also apply to UPenn, MIT, NEU, and others for RD round.

If you have any thoughts, please share them! I am welcoming to criticism and general information haha. Thank you in advance!! :slight_smile:

2

Are you a URM or from a disadvantaged background? That will help. You have a lot here, almost too much. Try to find a focus and a story you want to tell so AOs can remember you easy enough.Like that’s the rower who loves Math and want to use Math to do X.

3

@preppedparent Thank you so much for the advice! What do you mean by “almost too much”? I’ve done my best to succeed in everything that I care about, from music to athleticism. Is too much of a good thing bad? If so, how?

4

Highlight your top accomplishments. Too much and the stellar stuff gets lost among the “good.”

5

I think what everyone here is trying to say is that colleges want an all rounded class not an all rounded individual. If you show a spike in one area that may help you, so try to direct your activities into one general group. Good luck!